


Missing Piece

by LostAthenian



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: F/M, OC Percy's kid, Percabeth parenting, Pregnant Annabeth, Single Parenting, singledad!Percy, singlemom!Annabeth, slowburn-ish?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-02
Updated: 2020-07-02
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:47:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25031941
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LostAthenian/pseuds/LostAthenian
Summary: Percy's perfectly content being a single dad to his daughter Ava; between classes, work, and parenting, he doesn't have much room for new developments in his life. Until he meets Annabeth Chase, and it's like he's finally getting that piece of life he's been missing all along.ORSingle dad Percy meets single mom-to-be Annabeth
Relationships: Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson, Charles Beckendorf/Silena Beauregard, Hazel Levesque/Frank Zhang, Paul Blofis/Sally Jackson, Rachel Elizabeth Dare/Percy Jackson
Comments: 7
Kudos: 153





	Missing Piece

Percy hadn’t intended for things to happen like this, but he was just hit by a stroke of bad luck. His mom had been called in for an emergency parent-teacher conference for Estelle after she got in trouble at school, meaning he was left without a sitter. And of course, all of his other friends happened to be busy that day at that time, so there was no backup. Meaning, he had to take Ava to class with him. It was a good thing he’d already warned his professor about the possibility of that happening, and that his professor was lenient about having kids in his class.

So, here he is, running around his house trying to find things to keep her occupied and prevent her from being a disturbance in class. So far he’s packed her favorite doll, her blanket, and some papers alongside some coloring supplies. All with fifteen minutes remaining before class started.

Jumping up and down as he struggles to pull on his sneakers, Percy calls out, “Ava! Let’s go sweetie, we’re going to be late!”

Percy smiles at the sound of little footsteps padding down the hallway. His four year old daughter blinks at him, confused. Her curly red hair is a mess, and she’s holding the stuffed dog Rachel had gotten her. 

“Where we going Daddy?” she asks sweetly, sucking her thumb into her mouth.

Percy melts. His daughter never fails to make him smile. “You’re going to school with Daddy today because Grammy has to do something with Aunty Estelle, remember? I told you this morning while you were eating your waffles.”

“Oh,” Ava mutters. “I forgots.”

Smiling and swinging his daughter into his arms, Percy teases, “I can tell. Let’s go get you dressed, alright?”

Ava nods, still sucking her tongue.

“Hey, didn’t daddy tell you to stop sucking your thumb like that too?” Percy raises a brow at his adorable daughter.

Ava wipes her thumb on her shirt sheepishly and flashes him a coy smile. “Oh, I forgots.”

Percy laughs loudly and blows a raspberry on her cheek, making her giggle sweetly. “Come on sweet girl, we gotta get you dressed.”

Fifteen minutes later, Percy and Ava are settled in class, Ava making doodles on a piece of printer paper while Percy scribbles notes into his notepad. He’s working as a manager at their local grocery store right now, but he’s close to getting his degree in marine biology so he can take a higher paying job at the aquarium as a researcher. He’d get to work with a team: rescuing endangered marine animals, researching new ways to preserve marine life; all that cool stuff. Plus, Ava is going into kindergarten next year and he wants to be able to afford to buy her new clothes and school supplies.

This calculus class is really killing him though. He didn’t know anything about implicit differentiation, or related rates, or y’s and x’s. In his opinion, there were too many letters in math anyways. He looks over at Ava and smiles, remembering who he’s doing this for.

“Ooh, Daddy look!” Ava coos, pointing at the projector. “It’s a- a- a trangle!”

Percy stifles a laugh, his eyes sparkling with mirth as he looks down at his daughter. “Yup, a _triangle_. Who taught you that?”

Ava smiles proudly, puffing her chest out and swinging her legs from where they couldn’t touch the floor. “Grandpa Paul taught me last time.”

“Oh yeah?” Percy asks, smiling at her. She really is the center of his universe. “How about you show Daddy how to draw them?”

Ava beams at him with her gap toothed smile, then proceeds to go on a tangent about how to draw “ _trangles_ , Daddy.” Percy glances over at her every once in a while as he continues to take notes, playing the role of Good Dad and nodding when needed. He just feels so lucky that he gets to be her dad.

_______________________________________

Finally, when class lets out, Percy packs his things into his backpack and packs Ava’s things into the little backpack Sally had gotten for her, which Ava had begged to bring so she could “match Daddy.” She really was way too good at convincing Percy to give her her way. 

He can’t help it though; not when she looks that adorable. The backpack is easily as big as her, the bottom of it reaching her knees. It’s a nice eggshell blue, covered with designs of little bees and dandelions. It provides a nice contrast to her flaming red hair, thrown together into a ballerina bun on the top of her little head. Percy just can’t stop himself; he pulls out his phone and snaps a picture of her from behind, sending it to his mom. _She loves it!_ he types out, pressing send.

Scooping Ava up into his arms, he decides they should go to _Frazel's_ so he could get some extra studying in for his quiz on Friday. The owners, Hazel and Frank, are very nice and love having Ava around. Once, after closing, they took Ava behind the counter and showed her how to make their hot cocoa.

“Hey, Bubs?” Percy asks, turning to her.

“Yeah Daddy?” Ava replies, curling a fallen piece of hair around her finger and looking every which way.

Percy chuckles at her antics and pinches her cheek playfully. “I was wondering, what do you think about going to _Frazel’s_? I’ll get you a hot cocoa and a cake pop!”

Ava’s face scrunches up, the way it usually does when she’s thinking hard about something. “Are Frank and Hazel going to be there?”

Percy laughs. “Of course silly! They own the place.”

Ava jerks her head back to face Percy with a smile so sweet it could send adults to the dentist. “Yes yes yes!” she eagerly exclaims, nodding her head with each “yes.”

“Okay, let’s go then.” Percy whispers conspiratorially. Ava squeals and claps her hands excitedly as Percy races out to his car, chanting “Cake pops! Cake pops! Cake pops!”  
_______________________________________

Percy is beginning to rethink every aspect of his parenting. Everything was going fine; Ava had requested to be put on the floor because she was “a big girl,” he’d ordered a black coffee for him, a hot cocoa for her, and a pink cake pop- two actually, because she had asked so nicely and given him those puppy eyes he just couldn’t say no to. Then they went to pay, and that’s when it all went wrong.

Looking around, Ava’s eyes settle on someone behind Percy. “Daddy, what’s wrong with her?”

“Who are you talking about Bubs?” Percy asks absentmindedly, reaching into his wallet to grab his card to pay. “Bubs?”

Percy looks down and panics as he realizes Ava is no longer hugging his legs. “Ava?” 

_Oh gods_ , Percy thinks to himself. _I lost my daughter_. Picking out a 20 from his wallet, Percy hands it to an understanding Frank and mutters, “Keep the change.”

“Ava!” Percy growls, turning around and facepalming as he catches her making a beeline towards a woman. A very _pregnant_ woman. Percy groans, picking up the drinks and the cake pops from Hazel, who giggles behind her hand as she raises a brow at Percy’s sheepish smiles. Percy makes his way over to the woman’s table, where Ava has already shuffled into a chair and is already chatting away animatedly, to which the mystery woman is simply nodding.

“Ava!” Percy scolds, marching over to the side of the table, hands on his hips. “What did I tell you about strangers?”

Ava puckers up her lips and pretends to think. “I forgots. But Daddy, r-remember when you told me if I want to know something I should just ask- I should just ask a question?”

Percy tries really hard to not smile at Ava’s stutter. Sometimes when she got too excited she began to stutter, and it was the cutest thing. He’s trying to discipline right now, but he can’t help it when the corner of his mouth turns up. “Yeah baby, I did tell you that. But, I also told you not to talk to strangers, remember? You just interrupted this nice lady’s day.” Percy raises an arched brow, trying to seem strict.

“But daddy,” Ava whines, “I just wanted to know why her stomach was so big!” She spreads out her arms in an effort to show how big the woman’s stomach is. 

Finally, Percy turns to face the woman. _Wow_ , is the first thought in his head, _she really_ is _huge_. The woman’s stomach is very swollen; she must be at least seven months along by now. Slowly, Percy lets his eyes trail up to her face, and then his next thought is, _Wow, she is_ really _beautiful_. 

The woman in question has curly blond hair that falls in gentle ringlets around her heart shaped face and looks like it's been spun with gold from the way the sunlight is glinting off her strands. He’s willing to bet good money that she was the inspiration for Rapunzel in her past life. Her skin is nice and tan, dotted with a splash of sun kissed freckles along the even slope of her nose. Her arms are ridiculously toned, muscles flexing as she places her cup up to her lips amidst this awkward situation. If he has to guess, Percy would say she plays— played? Can she still do that while pregnant?— volleyball. She looks like a typical Californian, a weird sight in New York, but her stormy gray eyes— for a lack of better wording— ruin the image. She holds her chin high, looking like some sort of dignified queen or blonde Wonder Woman.

He must have been staring for too long, because the woman opens her mouth and slowly begins to speak. “Uhhhh, your daughter here was just asking me about my stomach. No harm in that, so I really didn’t mind answering all of her questions.” Her voice is silky smooth and makes Percy go weak in the knees.

Ava nods innocently and grins at him. “Daddy, she told me she’s preg-preg- pregernant. There’s a baby in there! She also said when I was really little, I was in Mommy’s belly like her baby’s in her belly. Is that true?”

Percy feels his heart drop a little and his eyes darken at the mention of Ava’s mom. “Yeah Bubs, that’s true.”

“She also told me her name is An-An-Ananbeth, and that we’re matching because we both have A names!” Ava recites smartly, looking proud of herself. “And then she gave me some of her cake pop!”

Percy is dismayed; sure enough, Ava has vanilla cake pop crumbs around her mouth. “Ava,” Percy says wearily, his voice tight, “we already bought you two cake pops.”

Ava snaps her mouth shut, knowing she’s in trouble. “Oh. I forgots.”

Percy breathes once, twice through his nose, then shoots the woman his most winning smile. “I’m so sorry about her. You can have one of her cake pops if you’d like.”

The woman, Ananbeth(?), shakes her head and smiles back at him. _Jesus, her teeth are really white_ , says Percy’s annoying inner monologue. 

“It’s quite alright, really. I enjoyed talking with her; it was kinda like practice for when my little one comes along.”

“Really, I insis-”

Ananbeth shakes her head firmly, standing up and brushing crumbs off her jeans. Percy briefly registers that she’s about a head shorter than him, and just as quickly brushes off the strange thought that it’d be nice to hug her and rest his head on her shoulder while breathing in her— good lord, what’s happening to him?

“Really, it’s fine. I shouldn’t really be eating that stuff anyways. Eating for two now, if you know what I mean.”

Percy smiles down at her and nods. “Are you sure? Trust me, my little one probably shouldn’t be eating these either.”

She chuckles, and Percy thinks it might be the most beautiful sound he’s ever heard. He must be crazy, fantasizing over someone he’s literally just met. “Yes, I’m sure. I was just about to leave actually, so you’re welcome to sit here with your daughter.”

“Oh, yeah, sure. Thanks… Ananbeth?”

Annabeth chuckles, ducking her head. “Actually, it’s _Anna_ beth, and it’s no problem…” An awkward silence follows before Percy realizes she’s waiting for his name.

“Oh, uh, Per-Percy,” Percy manages to stutter out. He blushes as he realizes Annabeth is stifling a laugh.

“Well, _Percy_ , it’s no problem. Your daughter is very smart, and I thoroughly enjoyed talking to her.”

Percy looks back at Ava, who’s swinging her legs about and looking around, trying to make herself seem small so she’ll be in less trouble. “Yeah, I know,” Percy says, smiling to himself.

“It was nice to meet you Percy. Bye Ava!” Annabeth says, waving a set of perfectly manicured fingers.

Ava perks up instantly, smiling widely and exclaiming, “Bye Ananbeth! Have fun being pregernent!”

Annabeth laughs, the sound ringing like jingle bells. “I will, as long as you don’t cause your dad any more trouble,” she winks. With that, she cradles her stomach and leaves.

Percy sits down where she once was and gets ready to lecture Ava about running off and talking to strangers, but she beats him to it.

“I’m sorry Daddy,” Ava mumbles shyly, looking down at the table. “I forgots.”

Percy sighs, “It’s okay. Daddy’s not mad. Just don’t do it again okay? I was worried about you.”

“Mmkay,” Ava answers, finally meeting his eyes. “Do you want to share a cake pop?”

Percy can’t believe he’s been blessed with such a perfect daughter. “Sure Bubs.”

_______________________________________

Lo and behold, the next week, Ava does it again. Walking into the crowded Starbucks, Ava yelps, “Ananbeth!” and instantly takes off. She doesn’t even wave to Hazel like she usually does.

Rolling his eyes, Percy sighs heavily and orders for them, just their usual, then lumbers over to the same table where Ava had met Annabeth the previous week. At least now he knows not to worry about it.

“Hi Annabeth,” Percy greets, pinching the bridge of his nose between his index and forefinger.

“Hey Percy. Fancy seeing you again,” Annabeth returns, smiling brightly at him from where she sits squished next to Ava. “Would you like to join me and _The Bravest of them All_ Ava?”

Percy looks at Ava quizzically, to which Annabeth laughs and explains, “Ava here was just telling me about how you guys played princess and knight last night. Ava is a _very_ brave knight.” She winks at him knowingly.

Percy flushes red and chokes on his words, making both Annabeth and Ava glance at each other and stifle giggles. “Aw come on,” he groaned, “Not fair. You guys are ganging up on me.”

He winks at Annabeth as Ava giggles like he’s just told the funniest joke in the world. He’s quite proud to say _she’s_ the one blushing after that. Setting his backpack and the drinks down, Percy settles into the chair opposite the two girls.

Suddenly, Annabeth gasps, immediately making Percy go on high alert.

“It’s um— it’s kicking,” she supplies, cradling her stomach. She looks up at Percy and smiles sheepishly. “I still haven’t gotten used to it.”

Percy shrugs. “Nah, I get it. When Ava’s mom was pregnant, it took me a while to get used to it too.”

Percy glances over at Ava, whose eyes are transfixed on Annabeth’s moving stomach with a mixture of wonder and disgust displayed on her face.

“Beth, what’s it doing?” Ava asks shyly, reaching out to touch Annabeth’s stomach and just stopping short.

Annabeth looks down at her, surprised, then laughs gently. “The baby’s just kicking to let me know it’s okay. Would you like to feel?”

Ava looks over at Percy for permission, then hesitantly reaches a hand out to Annabeth’s stomach. Once she touches it, her eyes light up. “That’s so cool.”

Annabeth smiles down at her, and for some weird reason, Percy feels oddly at ease seeing the two of them together. Kinda like Annabeth was the missing piece in Percy’s life ever since Ava’s mother had left. Shaking the thought out of his head, Percy’s interrupted by Annabeth chuckling and saying, “Wow Ava, baby really likes you. It’s going crazy in there.”

Ava puffs her chest out proudly, then leans in so her mouth is level to Annabeth’s stomach. “Hey, baby,” she whispers, “I’m going to be your best friend.”

Annabeth stiffens a little at that, glancing up but refusing to meet Percy’s eye’s.

“I have to go, um… do s-something,” Annabeth stammers suddenly, getting up and gathering her things jerkily. “I’m so sorry, I’ll see you guys later. Bye Percy, bye Ava!”

Percy’s barely able to mutter, “Bye Annabeth,” before she’s ducking her head and rushing out the door.

They don’t see her next week. Or the week after that.

_______________________________________

“Ananbeth!” All at once, Ava is squirming out of his arms and making a mad dash for their usual table, which is actually occupied by a pretty blonde for once. Percy hates to admit it, but his heart beat picks up a little at the thought of seeing her again.

Annabeth, for her part, looks thoroughly surprised to see the duo, and even more so to see Ava bounding towards her like she hadn’t been avoiding them for the past couple of weeks.

“Um, hi,” she greets awkwardly, looking everywhere _but_ Percy.

“Hey,” he returns, just as awkwardly. “D’ya mind if we sit?”

Annabeth’s head snaps up, and he almost wants to laugh at her doe-in-the-headlights expression. She holds his eye contact for a second longer than what’s normal, then shakes her head almost imperceptibly.

“Yeah, yeah of course,” she breathes, sending him a chaste smile. “Actually, I was just about to go-”

She’s halted by Ava- who’s already nestled into her chair and made herself comfortable- tugging firmly on her coat sleeve. 

“Stay Ananbeth! I have _so_ much to tell you!” She flashes her puppy eyes, and damn is she good, because Annabeth smiles wryly to herself before plopping herself down next to Ava, all ears as Ava begins chattering.

“...and then my daddy and my Uncle Grover won Mario Kart! Um, I think that’s everything,” Ava finishes proudly, propping her head up on her chubby hands to look at Annabeth for approval.

Annabeth gulps her coffee down roughly, wincing as it goes down. “Wow, that was a lot of stuff you and your dad did,” she comments, nodding thoughtfully.

“Yeah, but now I want to know about you! Why were you gone for so long Ananbeth?” Ava’s eyes are round and innocent as she stares at Annabeth, who for her part, has gone pale as a sheet.

Sensing the tension, Percy jumps in to save the day. “Ava, it’s not nice to intrude on other peoples’ lives. If Annabeth wants to tell us why she was gone, she’ll tell us.” He raises a brow at Ava, making sure his message comes across.

Ava shrugs and says, “Okay daddy,” and then she’s blabbering all over again. Annabeth shoots him a thankful look, and things seem like they’re going back to normal.

________________________________________

They’ve slowly settled into a routine, the three of them. Annabeth sits at the same table the same daya of every week (Tuesdays and Thursdays), and every Tuesday, Percy picks up Ava from his mom’s house and drives to the café, and then all three of them enjoy about an hour together before Annabeth departs to do her own stuff and Percy has to go to work. It’s easy enough to bond with Annabeth; even if she didn’t get on great with Ava, Percy can’t deny that she’s witty and sharp, and probably the smartest person he’s ever met. Sometimes, when he’s really struggling with calc, he’ll hand her his notebook, and after five seconds of squinting at the problem, she’s already got the solution with steps. It’s hard to not be drawn to her.

“Ananbeth!” Ava cries out as soon as she enters the shop, barely stopping to wave at Frank and Hazel before she’s flying into Annabeth’s open arms.

“Hey you,” Annabeth coos, ruffling her hair playfully. She lifts her head to smile at Percy, and between his heart melting at the sight of her with his daughter and his head spinning at her radiant smile, he manages a little wave before he steps up to the counter to order.

Frank grins at him conspiratorially. “They’ve really taken to each other, huh?”

Percy glances at the duo again, talking animatedly and Annabeth leaning in to tickle Ava ever so often. Shaking his head, he chuckles at them before nodding. “Yup. Ava asks every day now when it’s time to go see _Ananbeth_. She’s even got my mom talking about her.”

Frank huffs out a laugh as he punches in his total. “Well, good luck with that whole thing.”

Percy wants to ask what that means, but before he can, Frank is giving him his total and he’s handing over his money.

“Hey.” He greets Annabeth and Ava as he lumbers over to the table, drinks- and of course- cake pops in hand.

“Oh, let me help you with that,” Annabeth offers immediately, getting up to grab the drink holder from him.

“Thanks.” Turning to Ava, he raises a brow. “Did you wash your hands?”

Ava presses her lips into a thin line, shaking her head dutifully. 

“C’mon little lady, let’s wash your hands then,” he says, picking her up.

“Hey daddy?” Ava asks, swinging her legs on the counter of the men’s bathroom.

“Yeah?” Percy turns the faucet on to get her hands wet, then squirts a little bit of soap onto her palm.

“I really like Ananbeth,” she says proudly. “I like her equal to Grammy and Aunty Estelle and Hazel.”

Percy grins at his daughter. Man is she cute. “Yeah?”

Ava nods her head.

“I like her too, Bubs. Now rinse off the soap and we can have cake pops, okay?”

When they go out, Annabeth is talking to another guy who’s standing awkwardly near the side of their table. He’s got shaggy, blonde hair that curls around the edges of his ears, and Percy can see his striking gray eyes from here. He seems a little shorter than Percy, but built enough to be intimidating to strangers. Percy watches his interaction with Annabeth from the bathroom door, feeling a bit like a creep. The guy has a handsome face, he’ll admit, and a nice smile that causes his left cheek to dimple up.

Finally, when he and Ava head back over (Ava clutched just _a little_ tighter in his arms), he can hear a bit of the conversation they’re having.

“...I promise, everything is fine, silly.”

“I’m just making sure you’re okay…”

“You should stop worrying about me, you know…”

“Um, hi,” Percy butts in, also standing awkwardly near the table now.

Annabeth and the other guy snap out of their bubble.

“Percy!” Annabeth exclaims, looking surprised.

Percy smiles wryly at her, then untangles one arm from underneath Ava’s legs. 

“Hi, I’m Percy,” he says, turning to the other guy and holding his hand out for a shake. “And you are…”

“Malcolm,” the handsome guy answers, shaking Percy’s hand. He’s got a nice grip.

“Malcolm is my brother,” Annabeth exclaims, looking up at the two of them from her seat. “He’s been coming around to check up on me, and just so happened to be here today. But he’ll be going now, _right_?”

Annabeth glares at Malcolm pointedly, and he lets his eyes flick between her and Percy before exclaiming, “Yes! I will be on my merry way now. Nice to meet you Percy.”

He winks at him, then tips his coffee to them before walking out. Percy blinks, unsure of what to make of what just happened. At least that tight feeling in his chest has gone away.

“Daddy, let me down,” Ava complains, tugging his hair lightly.

“Oh, right, sorry Bubs.” He chuckles, finally allowing himself to snap out of his stupor enough to sit down.

The atmosphere has suddenly become awkward, so Percy clears his throat a couple times before speaking. “So, you have a brother?”

Annabeth, looking thankful for the conversation starter, answers immediately, a small smile blooming on her lips. “Yeah, he’s my half-brother on my mom’s side. I actually have two other brothers, twins on my dad’s side, but they’re much younger than me and they live in California.”

“Oh, that’s nice.” Percy nods along, digesting this new information. “How come he checks on you instead of your…”

Annabeth looks at him confusedly, before getting his point. “Oh! _No_ , no, no, no, no, no. _No._ ” She chuckles awkwardly. “Um, I don’t uh, have any of that. I-I’m single.”

“Oh, I-”

“I’m using a donor,” Annabeth explains, her cheeks red. “I just figured time is running out, and I shouldn’t wait for the right guy to come around right?”

“Right, right,” Percy amends, feeling horrible that he’s brought all this up. At least her single status makes him feel a bit less horrible for his teeny, tiny, little crush on her. 

“Uhh, what about you, any siblings?” Annabeth’s eyes are wide as she awaits his answer, and Percy struggles to not let himself get lost in them.

“Uh, yeah, I have some. There’s my little sister Estelle, from my mom, and my little brother Tyson from my dad.”

“Oh, that’s nice,” Annabeth says, nodding her head. “Does Ava get to see her aunt and uncle often?”

At this point, Ava pipes up. “I see Aunty Estelle every time I go to Grammy’s house. She lets me play with her toys and sometimes Grammy lets us play with her makeup.”

Annabeth nods along, then looks at Percy questioningly.

“Estelle’s in the fourth grade,” he explains.

“Oh, wow!” Annabeth’s eyes get impossibly wider as she takes this in. “She’s _really_ young.”

“Yeah,” Percy chuckles, rubbing the back of his neck. “My mom had me as a teenager, and she had Estelle right about when I graduated high school.”

“And what about Tyson?”

Ava butts in again. “I don’t see Uncle Tyson a lot, because Daddy says he has lots of work. But Uncle Tyson is fun, and he brings me lots of gifts.”

“Oh, that’s cool,” Annabeth says, grinning down at Ava as she swings her legs.

“Tyson’s a builder, so he likes to bring little trinkets for Ava when he gets to visit. You know, he actually custom built almost everything in her room.”

“Oh gosh, that’s amazing! Maybe I should talk to him sometime and see if he’d be willing to construct any pieces for my buildings.”

Now it’s Percy’s turn to look at Annabeth questioningly.

“I’m an architect,” she explains. “I specialize in skyscrapers mostly, but I occasionally do some custom home renovation and landscaping.”

“Wow,” Percy breathes, whistling under his breath. “Impressive.”

“I try.” Annabeth smirks.

“Hey- hey Ananbeth!” Ava pipes up.

Annabeth shifts her attention to Ava, who’s tugging impatiently on her sleeve. “Yes, Ava?”

“You- you should come see the room Uncle Tyson made for me! It’s _aweeeesome_ ,” Ava sighs.

Annabeth giggles, the corners of her eyes crinkling. “I’d love to Ava, but I think you should ask your dad first. Besides, I wouldn’t want to intrude.”

Ava turns her gaze to Percy expectantly, using those seal eyes he can never resist. “Daddy _pleeeease_?”

“Um, you’re not intruding,” Percy coughs out, his heart fluttering at the thought of Annabeth inside his house. “If you don’t mind spaghetti and meatballs, you’re welcome to stay for dinner as well.”

Annabeth straightens at this, looking surprised at his invitation. Then a bright smile spreads slowly over her face, and she answers, “I’d love that.”

_______________________________________

Suddenly, the three of them are settling into a new routine. Instead of frequenting _Frazel’s_ so often, they typically lumber on over to Percy’s place. In Percy’s opinion, it’s a much better option; he saves gas, they both save money, and Ava has someone to play with while he prepares dinner. He feels a bit bad for suddenly flaking on Frank and Hazel, but they’ll understand. Besides, it’s kinda nice; the thought that Annabeth has come to consider his house her second home. She used to ask to use the restroom, but now she just comes barrelling in and doesn’t even feel shame raiding his fridge. She’s even met his mom by now, who still drops by his place every now and then to make sure he’s fine (despite his several protests that he’s a grown adult with his own child who can take care of himself).

Percy chuckles to himself as he hears Ava and Annabeth making exaggerated sounds in the living room. Ava’s recent obsession has been playing fairies and-most often- knight and princess, so Annabeth has taken over the princess role for him. He tries hard not to think about how she makes a pretty good princess, especially with that hair.

He’s so lost in his thoughts and dinner preparations he doesn’t hear Annabeth sneak up on him.

“Hey.” 

Percy jumps, startled by her soft voice. He pauses on dicing onions, wiping his teary eyes with the back of his hand. He sticks his tongue out playfully as Annabeth laughs at him, then takes a moment to take her in.

She’s got one hand on the counter, leaning forward slightly. The stance causes her curls to brush over her bare shoulder, something Percy tries hard not to focus on. Her stormy eyes are bright with mirth, and there’s a smile playing at the corner of her lips.

“...hello?”

“Huh?” Percy realizes that she’s been trying to speak with him, and he’s been staring like a creep. His cheeks flush with embarrassment. “Sorry, do you need something?”

“I was just wondering what’s on the menu for tonight, and if you need any help. I put Ava up to doing some learning stuff.”

Percy raises a brow at that. “Tonight’s meal is spaghetti and meatballs, your guys’ favorite, and chocolate chip cookies. If you don’t mind raw meat, you’re welcome to help me make the meatballs. Or if that’s too much for your stomach right now, feel free to roll out some dough balls.”

Annabeth brightens at that, waddling into the kitchen to assist. Percy marvels slightly at her bump; she’s supposed to be due next week, so he’s been hovering over her like a mama bird, making sure everything is okay for her. According to Annabeth, he’s been so annoying that she’s been able to tell Malcolm he doesn’t need to check on her anymore.

Percy scoots over on the counter to make room for Annabeth, then finishes dicing the onions before moving onto the tomatoes. Silence hangs between them, but it’s not awkward in the slightest.

“So,” Annabeth starts, looking up from the dough ball in her blue-stained hands, “how much do you want to bet Ava’s going to come back knowing what 5 plus 5 is?”

Percy guffaws. “Oh god, please, don’t. She’ll be going on about math for weeks now, and that’s the one thing I have enough of already.”

Annabeth shakes her head, laughing with him. Then the moment passes, and it’s just them, looking into each other’s eyes for a couple extra seconds. Percy appreciates how the kitchen lights bring out the different shades of gray in her eyes. 

_My loneliness, is killing me… and Iiiiiii...I must confess..._

The moment is killed by Percy’s phone blaring his annoying ringtone, a prank set by Leo that he hasn’t had the time to fix yet. 

Percy scrambles for his phone, cheeks red as Annabeth laughs at him.

“Britney Spears?” she teases, brows raised.

“Shut up,” he mumbles, finally clamping his hands around the stupidly small thing and pressing _Accept._

“Hello?”

“ _Percy_!” His mom’s voice rings through on the other end.

“Oh, hey mom.”

“ _Percy, honey, listen, I’m so sorry but something has come up again. I don’t think I can watch Ava tomorrow. I’ve got a meeting with my publisher for my new book, and I just can’t miss it. I wish Paul could watch her, but he’s got an afterschool meeting with the rest of the English department.”_

“Crap,” Percy mutters to himself, pinching the bridge of his nose. “It’s okay mom. Just go to your meeting okay? I’ll figure something out.”

“ _Are you sure?”_ He can hear his mother’s distress on the other end of the line. She loves Ava, so she hates when things come up and she can’t watch her, even though Percy has explained to her time and time again that she has her own life and Percy’s just thankful she’s able to watch Ava at all.

“Yeah mom, don’t worry about it. Enjoy your meeting, okay?”

“ _Alright, Percy. I love you okay?”_

Percy smiles softly. “Love you too, mom.” 

The call ends with an abrupt _click._ Percy places both hands on the counter as he leans forward, making a mental list of people who could babysit for him. Grover? No, he’s got a demonstration for that ecology class tomorrow. Leo’s got an all day shift at the shop tomorrow, so he’s also out of the question. The Beckendorf’s, the couple next door that he’s made friends with and goes to when he’s all out of options, have been on a babymoon in Cabo, so they’re also a no. Frank and Hazel—

“Um, what happened?” Annabeth’s voice is shy, like she’s scared she’s intruding.

Percy jumps, startled by her again. He turns to face her, resting his back against the counter and keeping an eye on his pasta. “Oh, it’s nothing. I lost my sitter for tomorrow and don’t have a backup, so I’ll have to skip class and find someone to cover my shift at the store tomorrow.”

Annabeth frowns. “Don’t you have a midterm for your calc class tomorrow?”

Percy cringes. “Yeah, but it’s fine. I can always take it next semester if it messes up my grade that badly.”

Annabeth’s frown deepens. “Percy, you’ve studied so hard—”

“It’s fine, Annabeth, really. I—”

“I can watch Ava,” Annabeth blurts.

Percy pauses, taken aback. “Annabeth, _no_ , I can’t ask you to—”

“C’mon Percy, you cook dinner for me practically every night. Just let me do this one thing for you. _Please._ ”

Percy sighs. “Are you sure? Because with your condition—”

Annabeth barks out a laugh, rolling her eyes. “Percy, I’m nine months pregnant, not dying. Drop the hero complex and let _me_ do something for _you_ for once. You deserve to put your hard work to use.”

Percy gnaws at his lip, weighing her offer. “Okay fine,” he says, caving in.

Annabeth squeals, honest to god squeals, and wraps Percy into an awkward hug that is thwarted by her belly bump. “I’ll take good care of her, I promise. And you just worry about your midterm okay? You’re going to do great.”

She rests her chin on his chest to look up at him, and as soon as he meets her eyes, he knows. He’s ruined for anyone but her.

_______________________________________

It’s already dark out when Percy is released from work, so he hops into his car and drives as quickly as he can under the speed limit to Annabeth’s apartment. Letting himself into the lobby, he makes a beeline for the elevator, pressing the button for the fourth floor. 

Percy stands idly outside Annabeth’s apartment as he raps the door twice, taking time to look at his surroundings. Annabeth’s apartment complex is a nice, orderly building, with pale blue walls and potted plants at every corner. It seems tranquil and neat, exactly the kind of place he’d expect someone like Annabeth to live.

“Percy, hey! Come on in,” Annabeth breathes as she opens the door, one arm resting atop her bump. She looks beautiful in a peony cardigan layered over a white tank top, her hair loose and framing her face so she looks like a goddess.

Percy smiles at her as he follows her in, taking in her apartment as he enters. The living room wall is comprised of floor to ceiling windows that probably allow light to flow into the entire apartment, and has shelves stocked with books, trinkets, and photos of Annabeth’s life. From what he can see, there’s not a single thing out of place- even the dirty dishes are stacked. Ava’s toys are littered over the rug, her favorite stuffed dog crammed between the cushions of Annabeth’s couch. In the kitchen, her backpack lays discarded on Annabeth’s marble counters next to a stack of drawings and colored pencils.

Percy whistles lowly. “Looks like you guys had a fun day.”

Annabeth chuckles. “Yeah, she’s knocked out in my room right now.”

They share an amused glance before beginning to clean up Ava’s mess. Percy tries to ignore the stutter in his heart beat every time he and Annabeth brush hands, and tries to not read too much into the fact that Annabeth peers at him through her lashes ever so often.

Annabeth straightens as they finish up, brushing her hands against her jeans, before announcing, “I’m going to get Ava.”

Percy nods his acknowledgement as Annabeth disappears down her hallway. He takes that time to stuff all of Ava’s gathered toys into her backpack, then with great precaution, tucks her drawings into the same pocket. Not too long after, the sound of a door opening alerts Percy to Ava’s arrival, and the sight of Annabeth carrying Ava on her hip is enough to make Percy melt. 

“Here she is,” Annabeth says, keeping her voice quiet so as not to wake her. She untangles Ava’s arms from her neck as she passes him to Percy, who snatches her up and clutches her tight to his body. Four years with his little girl and he still misses her so much whenever he has to do anything apart from her.

“She’s already had dinner; I ordered some pizza for the two of us. I hope you don’t mind.”

“Not at all.” Percy shakes his head. “Thanks again, Annabeth. It really means a lot.” Percy keeps his voice low so as to not wake Ava from where she lays on his shoulder, red curls spread out in a halo and tickling Percy’s nose as she smacks her mouth lightly in her sleep.

“Yeah, no problem. Anytime,” Annabeth replies. She pauses, and Percy is taken aback by how she looks. The dim yellow lighting casts dark shadows over her face, her silvery eyes and golden hair glowing like a night light. There’s something there, an unspoken emotion that Percy can’t place, and he knows she’s about to venture into unknown territory.

“Everything okay?” Percy asks slowly, even though he knows what’s coming next probably isn’t okay if it’s making Annabeth wear that kind of expression on her face.

“I-” Annabeth starts, her voice shaky and unsure. “Um, you never told me that your wife died.”

Percy stills. He knew he’d have to approach the subject one day, but he was enjoying this time with just the three— soon to be four— of them and didn’t want to open up that can of worms again.

“Ava told me that _you_ told _her_... um- told her that her mommy was an angel sent from heaven who had to go home,” Annabeth supplies, her voice rushed and a little panicky. “I always assumed you guys just split up and you had custody. Maybe it was a bad break up, and that’s why you don’t have any pictures of her at your place.”

Percy purses his lips, letting the silence fester for a little while. “Girlfriend.”

“What?” Annabeth sounds surprised.

Percy licks his lips, frowning slightly. “She wasn’t my wife, she was— she was just my girlfriend.”

“Oh,” is the only response that elicits from Annabeth.

Taking in a shuddering breath, Percy forges on. No point in holding things back now. Glancing at Ava, Percy says, “We were together for seven years, and in the middle of breaking up when we found out— uh, found out we were expecting Ava.”

Annabeth makes to say something, but Percy holds up his hand and shakes his head, making her mouth snap shut. “We got back together and I moved in with her to help her take care of the baby. We— _she_ was so excited. We set up the nursery, bought a whole bunch of toys, picked out names once we found out the gender. Gods, she was _so_ excited to see her. She used to talk about what she’d look like all the time; would she have my eyes or hers? Black hair or red hair? Curly hair or straight hair?”

“How did she...” Annabeth trails off, her eyes shining with curiosity and sympathy.

“She had pre-eclampsia. She struggled with it all through her pregnancy, and the day she went into labor, they had to take her in for a C-section to save the baby. She really wanted a home birth, because she thought it’d be more intimate.” Percy chuckles bitterly. “She lost too much blood during the procedure, but we didn’t know until it was too late. She held on for a while, though. I think she wanted to see Ava one last time before she left. She got to have skin to skin contact.”

“I’m so sorry Percy,” Annabeth says, her voice sincere as she hugs her own bump, almost as if the story is making her feel Percy’s pain.

“Once she died, her dad paid off the house so I could stay in it with Ava and I wouldn’t bother him. He never liked me much, but he sends Ava a gift every year for Christmas and her birthday, so that’s that. And after she died, it was too painful to see pictures of her when I already had her mirror image in Ava.” Percy sniffles, smiling at her as best he can even though he probably looks like a ridiculous mess; red-rimmed eyes, watery nose, and flushed cheeks in Annabeth’s living room. “I don’t regret any of it, though. Of course, I still wish she was here to see how amazing our daughter has turned out to be so far. She has my eyes and my nose, but Rachel’s hair and 100% of that fiery spirit that made me fall in love with her in the first place.”

“Rachel,” Annabeth whispers, trying the name out on her tongue. It’s oddly poetic, the woman he loves saying the name of the woman he used to love in such a gentle, soft tone. “She sounds like a wonderful person. You’re so lucky, Percy.”

Percy figures, _to hell with it_. “I know. I’m even more lucky though, now that I’ve found you. Losing Rachel hurt like hell, and seeing Ava grow up without a mother was even worse. Rachel’s last wish was that Ava gets to have a mother.”

Annabeth’s eyes widen, but Percy pushes on. “Annabeth, seeing you with Ava gives me hope, something that I didn’t have for a long time. She loves you, and I think-- I think I kinda love you too.”

Annabeth exhales shakily, screwing her eyes shut. “Oh Percy…”

“No, Annabeth I _do_ love you. I know what you’re thinking, but none of it is true. I’m not asking you to replace Rachel; I’m just asking if you love me as much as you love my little girl. I see the way you guys are together, and I see you as you are even without her, and it’s so amazing to me. You’re strong, and smart, and so, _so_ beautiful inside and out. You are, without a doubt, the most remarkable woman I’ve ever met and if it’s wrong to want to be with you, then I don’t want to be right. Because what I want is to wake up next to you and come home to you every day for as long as you’ll take me.”

Annabeth is crying now, tears streaming down her face. Even with her eyes bloodshot and face red, Percy thinks she’s never looked more beautiful, with the hallway light illuminating her high cheekbones and blonde curls like that.

“Percy, we can’t. I could never be enough for you, and I could never fill the hole that Rachel left. Not only that, but I’m having a baby soon.”

“I know, and I-” 

“No, Percy,” Annabeth interrupts. “You don’t. I can’t have you playing family with my kid and confusing him or her every time they ask why you’re not their daddy or why they don’t look like you. I’m sorry Percy, I really am. I wish we met under better circumstances and at a better time, but I really can’t do this right now, not when I’m so close to what I’ve always wanted. _This_ is why I didn’t want to get close to you.”

Percy’s heart stutters. “Is that— is that why you stopped coming to the café for a while? After Ava said she wanted to be your baby’s best friend?”

Annabeth refuses to meet his eyes, her silence confirming what he already knew. “Please, just go,” she whispers brokenly.

Percy looks down at Ava, then up at Annabeth, standing there with tears falling down her rosy cheeks and clutching her baby bump like it’s the end of the world. He wishes with all his heart that she could see what he sees, looking at her like that. He sees a future with an oddly mismatched family, but it’s just that. A _family._ Maybe none of the pieces fit perfectly, but they’d be perfect in their own way.

“Okay,” Percy whispers, that last flicker of hope extinguishing painfully, like the last embers of a fire slowly burning out. “I’ll go.”

“Okay,” Annabeth repeats. There’s an uncertain undertone to her voice that tries to re-light that hope in Percy, but it’s so small and depleted that it doesn’t work anyways.

Then Percy turns and leaves, Ava feeling so small and yet so heavy in his arms, like she too is carrying his pain. He closes the door as softly as possible, and he thinks there must be some sort of metaphor in that about how he’s quite literally closed the door on a bright future.

_______________________________________

Percy huffs for probably the millionth time that night, twirling his pencil in his fingers and bouncing his knee anxiously.

He hasn’t been to _Frazel’s_ in a while, and the odd times that he is here, Annabeth is usually accompanying him. It feels weird, and empty, in a sense, without her here. He’s been trying to focus on his calc homework for what feels like years now, but his dyslexia is making the numbers float off the page and scramble his brain. He could _really_ use Annabeth right now.

He’s so caught up in his thoughts, he doesn’t catch the body sliding into the seat across from him until it reaches over and grabs his hand.

Percy looks up from his computer screen, halting his movements as Hazel peers at him with her kind eyes. Percy notes that there’s a smidge of flour on her cheek, and some coating her purple shirt. 

“Um, Hazel, I-”

“It’s closing time, Percy.”

Percy groans, facepalming. “Gosh, I’m so sorry Hazel. Let me get out of your guys’ hair—”

“No, stay a little.” Hazel’s voice is calm, but firm. He stays rooted to his seat, feeling like he’s in trouble.

Hazel sighs a little. “Look, Percy, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out what’s going on between you and Annabeth.”

Percy feels like a fish out of water, grasping for words. “I- we, uh- I don’t—”

“Percy.” Hazel repeats his name for the third time that night. “I don’t know exactly what went wrong with you two, but I have a pretty good guess. And I guess I’m here because, well, Annabeth is my friend, and there’s a lot you don’t know about her. It might help you understand why she is the way she is.

Percy feels a bit like he’s been slapped in the face. _A lot he doesn’t know about her_? The woman came to his house almost every day; he feels like that warrants a lot of information sharing about one’s life.

Before he can protest though, Hazel is talking again. “Annabeth has some… family issues. I won’t go too into detail, because that’s not my business to tell, but the short version is: she didn’t have much of a family growing up. She felt like an outsider in her own home, so she made her own family. She got really close with two older kids, Thalia and Luke, but Thalia got hit by a drunk driver one day and slipped into a coma, and Luke committed suicide three months later. When Thalia woke up, she was so distraught that she left to travel the world to try and find herself again.”

Percy’s head spins as he absorbs all of this. “Wh-why are you telling me this?”

Hazel clasps his hands in both of her smaller, calloused ones. “Because it left Annabeth with a lot of scars. She’s spent her entire life looking over her shoulder, waiting for everyone she loves to abandon her, and that’s why she can’t commit to serious relationships. It’s not about you Percy, so stop beating yourself up over it.”

Percy bites his lip, trying to stem the flow of tears threatening to come out and keep the wave of disappointment at bay. “I thought we had something special,” he whispers. “But I think I was hoping for too much. Now I just feel stupid for falling for someone I only knew for a matter of months.”

Hazel scoots her chair over to him, then rests her head against his shoulder. Her curls smell like coconut, the scent wafting its way into Percy’s senses and making him feel slightly better about his shitty love life.

“You’re not stupid at all Percy. She’ll come back to you. I know it.” Hazel’s voice has so much conviction in it, it fills him with hope for a split second. 

Then she holds him as he cries.

_______________________________________

He gets the call early in the morning. He finally figured out how to change his ringtone from Britney Spears, so the bright ringtone his iPhone is automatically set to is blaring ridiculously loudly as he picks up the vibrating metal block, hoping it didn’t wake Ava.

“Hello?” His voice is groggy and rough, and at least an octave deeper from sleep.

“H-hi,” comes the stuttering voice on the other end. It’s tired, and unsure, but Percy would know that voice anywhere.

“Annabeth?” Percy whispers, his heart rate already speeding up. To be fair, it’s been nearly a month and a half since he’s seen her. The last time he saw her was that one night in her apartment… which did not go as Percy wanted or expected. 

Things have been strange without Annabeth, for both him _and_ Ava. He never really noticed how much either of their lives revolved around spending time with Annabeth until she was no longer there. For starters, their _Frazel's_ sessions were severely lacking in sharp, witty blondes, and Ava no longer had someone to play fairies with while Percy cooked dinner. But mostly, Annabeth had left a giant Annabeth-sized hole in both Percy and Ava’s hearts that could not simply be filled by cake pops and spaghetti with meatballs. Not even blue chocolate chip cookies could fix it.

“Percy?”

Percy snaps back to attention; he didn’t even notice how he’d been so preoccupied thinking about what he lost that he wasn’t paying attention to anything Annabeth had been saying.

“Yeah, I’m here,” he stutters out.

“Okay. Okay,” Annabeth replies. Percy can hear her taking a deep breath on the other side of the line, like she’s steeling herself to deliver some big news. He can’t tell if it’s good or bad.

“I’m at the hospital.”

Instantly, Percy lurches up in bed, sitting up straight and already swinging his legs towards the edge of the bed. “My gods, are you okay? Are you hurt? Is the baby hurt? I can be there in-”

Annabeth’s light chuckle chimes through his phone’s shitty speakerbox, effectively shutting him up and sending a tingle up his spine. “I’m fine, the baby’s fine. Actually, the reason I’m here is because, well, baby Theo got tired of being inside of me.”

“ _Theo…_ a boy— Annabeth, that’s great,” Percy breathes. He’s trying to imagine how she looks right now, probably propped up against some pillows in the sterile white hospital bed. The image in his head is so vivid, he could almost touch her; her blonde curls curling softly around her shoulders, gray eyes tired and tan skin glowing with a mixture of sweat and happiness. She looks radiant in his vision, and probably even better in real life.

“Yes, well, I’m sitting here in this hospital bed, and Baby is sleeping soundly beside me. Everything’s fine, except I don’t know what to put on the birth certificate.”

“What do you mean?” Percy asks, settling back into bed, kicking one foot over the other. “You said his name is Theo right?”

“Yes,” Annabeth says, and then her voice gets so soft Percy has to strain to hear it. “Theo Chase or Theo Jackson?”

All the breath is promptly knocked out of him. “J-Jackson?”

Annabeth hums, and he can practically hear her nodding with that shy smile on her lips. “I— I must confess, I’ve been a bit of an idiot. I didn’t want to give you a chance because I was so scared you’d leave me, like everyone else in my life has. I didn’t want you to leave and break my baby’s heart with mine, and I didn’t want to have to go through the pain of losing Ava after I’d already gotten so attached to her. But I realized over these past few weeks that I did all of that to myself the day I let you leave my apartment, and I’ve kicked myself everyday since trying to get the courage to ask you to forgive me and take me back. And of course, the day I decided to do it was the day little Theo decided to come out, but here I am, 28 hours of labor later, trying to tell you I love you too and hoping that you’ll say it back.”

“I-I don’t… Annabeth,” Percy mumbles lamely. “I _do_ love you Annabeth. And you can bet that as soon as Ava wakes up I’ll be driving us to the hospital to see you. But I can’t pick the baby’s last name for you, and I don’t need to give you permission to walk back into mine and Ava’s lives. That’s your decision to make.”

Annabeth lets out a breath over the line, sounding relieved. As if Percy could ever reject her. “Theo Jackson it is then.”

“Theo Jackson,” Percy whispers, a smile creeping onto his face. “Welcome to the family.”

_______________________________________

“This is my daddy. He is a marine biologist and he works with sharks and fishies in the fishy zoo,” Ava says, pointing to a surprisingly well-drawn (for a five year old, at least) stick figure with black hair and green circles for eyes. She must’ve gotten it from her mom, because even as an adult, Percy’s art looks like chicken scratch. Everyone in the class _oohs_ and _ahhs_ , and the teacher, Ms. Katie, smiles kindly before encouraging her to go on. Percy flashes a bright smile and a thumbs up at her.

“This is my little brother Theo,” Ava continues, pointing to a smaller figure holding hands with a stick figure version of her. “My daddy says he is nine months old, and he likes to eat spaghetti and play superheroes with me. He pulls my hair sometimes, but it’s okay. _Oh_! And he knows how to crawl.”

Ava beams at Theo from where he’s sitting on Percy’s lap, gurgling and babbling as Percy bounces him.

“And this is my mommy. Her name is _Anna_ beth and she is an architeck, so she makes buildings. But not right now, because she is preh-pregernant. That’s why her belly is so big.” Ava strains to pronounce Annabeth’s name correctly and makes a gesture like she’s holding a giant bowl in her arms.

Annabeth sends Ava a proud grin and a small wave from where she’s sitting next to Percy, hands perched on her growing stomach. Percy can’t help mirroring her smile, especially when he remembers how hard she’d cried when Ava began referring to her as “mommy.” She was worried that Ava would forget Rachel was her real mom, but Percy reassured her that Ava knew she just had two mommies now, one that watched over her in heaven and one that watched over her in real life.

“And that’s my family,” Ava finishes, smiling proudly. The whole class claps and stands, along with all the parents that were able to make it. Percy _whoop_ s, letting out a “That’s my girl!” and yelping when Annabeth smacks him playfully.

“Don’t embarrass her!” she scolds, to which Percy replies, “I’m her dad, it’s my job!”

Ava’s kindergarten teacher, a nice brunette lady named Ms. Katie, stands up at the front of the class and announces, “And that’s the end of Family Week! Thank you all for coming!”

Ava bounds right up to Annabeth, tackling her legs in a bear hug. “Did you like it?”

Annabeth grins at her, leaning down to pick her up, a struggle since her stomach is in the way. “Did I _like_ it? I _loooved_ it,” Annabeth responds, tickling Ava’s sides as she heaps praise on her drawing.

Percy adjusts Theo on his hip and he reaches into his pocket to grab his phone. Staring back at him on the lock screen is the picture of him, Ava, and Annabeth with newborn Theo at the hospital. They all look tired, but their smiles are identical. Annabeth complains that she looks terrible in that picture and “for the love of god, Percy, you have so many other better pictures of us where I don’t look like I just ran a marathon!” but Percy simply kisses the crown of her head and replies offhandedly, “You didn’t- you pushed out a _baby_. Besides, this one’s my favorite.”

And it’s true. It is his favorite. It’s a picture from the day they became a family, and the day he finally got that piece of life that he didn’t even know he was missing.

“C’mon family, let’s get a picture for family week!” Percy hollers, beckoning for Annabeth and Ava to come to where all the other families are lined up to take pictures against the Family Week backdrop.

Annabeth and Ava join him in line, and Percy takes a moment to appreciate his luck. Annabeth has her hair done up in a half up half down hairdo, making her high cheekbones prominent. The gray wraparound maternity dress she’s wearing is hugging her in all the right places, and every place where her skin is exposed to the spring sun glows. Percy wonders briefly how someone can look so beautiful, and then Theo tugs his hair particularly hard and the moment is ruined.

“Penny for your thoughts?” Annabeth asks, looking away from an animated Ava to gaze up at him.

Percy smiles, kissing her temple and directing his gaze to her left hand, where a golden engagement ring sits on her ring finger. “Just… how I really hit the jackpot.”

Annabeth grins at him, getting on her tiptoes to press a soft kiss to his jaw. 

“Yeah, the Jacksons. We’re one hell of a bunch.”

They smirk at each other as they pose for a Family week photo that consists of Ava beaming up at Annabeth and Theo shrieking as he pulls Percy’s hair. 

It’s Percy’s new lock screen by the end of the week.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you all enjoy! I went through like every interaction I have ever had with a child ever trying to remember how kids talk and I still think I failed lol... hopefully Ava doesn't sound too mature for her age. In trying to remember how 4/5 year olds talk, I remembered a conversation that took place between me and my four year old cousin that went something like this:
> 
> me: *starting Super Mario*
> 
> 4 yr old: Hey what kind are you??
> 
> me: (wtf kid language is this?? I'm human??) ummmm...
> 
> 4 yr old: On the game. What kind are you?
> 
> me: Ohhh! I'm playing Toad right now.
> 
> No amount of babysitting and/or child interaction prepared me for that conversation so I'll leave you guys with that lol


End file.
